The Best LeBron Contract Offer Warriors, Every Suitor Can Make

The Golden State Warriors are hoping to land LeBron James, but the most they can offer him is the non-taxpayer mid-level exception of $15 million.

That might seem like a slap in the face to James, but it's actually more than most contenders can offer him.

Even though it's been reported that James cares more about champioship contention than money from his next team, money could still play a role.

Below is the biggest contract offer every James suitor can make.

(Note: I included 10 contenders below. The few contenders I didn't include have not had any link to James that I'm aware of.)

Potential Suitors with Full NTMLE ($15M)

Golden State Warriors

The Warriors enter Thursday morning with 10 players under contract and a payroll of $182.8 million. They can offer James the full NTMLE, but the issue is they'd have very little left for Draymond Green's contract. That's why it might take a trade of Moses Moody or Kristaps Porzingis to execute this plan. Trading the former shouldn't prove too difficult.

Detroit Pistons

The Pistons have a complicated cap sheet with restricted free agent Jalen Duren still unsigned. But they have enough options to give Duren a big contract and then give James the NTMLE.

Potential Suitor with Partial NTMLE

Miami Heat

The Heat used part of their non-taxpayer mid-level exception by giving Tim Hardaway Jr. a one-year, $6.5 million deal. They have $8.5 million left of their NTMLE, but if they used it all, they would be right up against the first apron. So in reality they might have just a bit less than that to give James.

Potential Suitors with Taxpayer Mid-Level Exception ($6.1M)

Minnesota Timberwolves

The Athletic's Jon Krawczynski reported that the Timberwolves reached out to James about bringing him to Minnesota. Krawczynski added that the Wolves don't see themselves as one of the front-runners for him.

New York Knicks

James has flirted with the possibility of playing with the Knicks in the past, but I get the sense that he doesn't want to join the defending champs. He might face backlash similar to when Kevin Durant joined the Warriors in 2016.

Potential Suitors with Bi-Annual Exception ($5.5M)

San Antonio Spurs

The Stein Line's Marc Stein reported that the Spurs, after using their full non-taxpayer mid-level exception on Tobias Harris, will not chase James. But maybe they should get into the race considering they still have the bi-annual exception.

Boston Celtics

The Celtics saved about $3 million in the Jaylen Brown-for-Paul George trade, which actually makes getting James with the bi-annual exception much easier. It's possible that it's all connected, but probably not.

Potential Suitor with Only Veteran Minimum ($3.9M)

Denver Nuggets

If James is willing to play for the veteran minimum, the Nuggets would surely be one of his better choices. A lineup with Nikola Jokic, Jamal Murray, Aaron Gordon and James would be scary.

Philadelphia 76ers

THURSDAY AFTERNOON UPDATE: After giving Anfernee Simons a two-year, $12.3 million contract, it appears the most the 76ers can offer James is a veteran minimum. They still seem like a dark-horse team for James, as they have the combination of lots of talent but not much recent playoff success. James would love being the missing piece that gives the 76ers their first title since Moses Malone's dominant run in 1983.

Cavaliers' Complicated Situation

The Cavaliers have 12 players under contract for $183.3 million. If James Harden were to sign for just $10.6 million, they'd have access to the full NTMLE for LeBron.

But if Harden signs for over $35 million, they wouldn't be able to give LeBron more than a veteran minimum.

That's why there is speculation that the Cavs could be looking to trade Max Strus or Dennis Schroder for more cap room.

Until we get more info, it's impossible to put the Cavs in a spending tier.

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